


Rose Tint My World

by tumble4rpdr



Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-07 04:36:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21452125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tumble4rpdr/pseuds/tumble4rpdr
Summary: He couldn’t explain exactly why he decided to assemble a creature. It was done in part to show off what he could do and to earn the admiration of the masses. But there was another part of him, a deeply buried part, that desperately wanted someone who would belong to him and be faithfully his, mentally as well as physically. While sex with his creation was not Brock’s ultimate aspiration, he’d be lying if he said the temptation hadn’t entered his mind more than he would like to admit.Loosely based on The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Brock created Vanjie in his lab to prove himself and to maybe have a little fun. Once his creation has a mind of his own, however, Brock finds it even harder to resist him. But the question now is what does Vanjie want or more importantly, what does he need?
Relationships: Brooke Lynn Hytes/Vanessa Vanjie Mateo
Comments: 20
Kudos: 38





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I finally managed to write something in what seems like forever (and this is only my second time writing fanfiction). While watching The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Halloween, I immediately thought of Vanjie as Rocky (I blame the gold Speedo) and Brooke (Brock) as Frank (maybe it was the sexy confidence or maybe just the curly hair) and slowly this fic came to be. I want to emphasize that while I may have taken my main inspiration from Rocky Horror, it is still only loosely based on it as Brock’s characterization (and later Vanjie’s) is rather different than how the characters are portrayed in the movie. Also of note, B’s drag is not like the drag she does currently. I consider it more genderfuck so when he gets dressed up and paints his face he still thinks of himself as male (which is why I had him go by Brock and use he/him pronouns-I apologize since I know some people might not necessarily like that choice). Vanjie was created as a man and goes by he/him, Nina is a woman and goes by she/her, and Detox is genderqueer and goes by they/them. All comments (positive or negative) are welcome since I really want to know what I’m doing right and know what I need to improve on. I also apologize for the lack of Vanjie in this chapter but I promise there’s more to come in the following chapters.

Brock finished applying his midnight black eyeliner and placed the worn pencil back into the can at the corner of his white vanity. Gazing at himself in the mirror, he could clearly make out all the little mistakes he wished he could fix. He could see the slight smudge at the edge of his right brow and the fallout from the overly glittered highlighter he had applied with trembling hands bound in leather fingerless gloves.

It was admittedly not his best work but he had to put the effort in. Tonight was important and expectations were high so painting his face was the only option. Despite his worry and anticipation, Brock knew that he had to at least _attempt_ to portray a confident, self-assured version of himself. He restlessly tousled his blonde curls yet again, which seemed to be even more unruly than usual. Brock had thought about wearing one of his few wigs but then decided against it. He reasoned that his creature was bound to see the real him at some point, so why not start with this?

He picked up his cranberry red lip stick and tried to banish his nerves by concentrating on the swipe of the crayon over his already full lips, trying to at least make _this_ part presentable. Once the last piece of flesh was filled in, Brock closed his eyes and took a deep breath, reopening them to see himself force his brightly painted mouth into a well rehearsed smirk. Tonight is everything he has been working towards. Tonight is everything they had been waiting for, everything _he_ had been waiting for. Tonight would not only show that he had the intellect and power to create life, but that he had the skill and the artistry to produce perfection and that perfection would be entirely his.

Standing up and harshly pushing the wooden chair up against his vanity table, Brock straightened his shoulders and adjusted the ties on the front of his sparkly black corset. He glanced down quickly at his long fishnet clad legs before making his way to the lab accompanied by the sound of his clacking heels and still rapidly pounding heart.

There was a sizable crowd waiting for him in the lab which did nothing to lessen the pressure he was feeling. Brock assumed this was Detox’s doing, his former lover and current groupie always up for anything and ready for a party. Brock’s eyes scanned the room for Nina, his best friend and fellow Transylvanian, who he found arm in arm with her boyfriend Monét. As their eyes met, Nina gave him an apologetic look as she separated from Monét and made her way over.

“You nervous?” the first question leaving Nina’s lips. Nina knew Brock better than anyone, had even volunteered to leave Transexual with him for this strange, unknown planet. She knew that no matter how fearless he seemed, especially when adorned in glitz and leather, her friend was almost always filled to the brim with racing thoughts and self-doubt.

“Of course not,” Brock lied as he rolled his eyes, attempting to make the mere suggestion of anxiety sound ridiculous. “This is a celebration of me and my creation, of everything that I’ve been able to accomplish and all the possibilities that await,” he continued with a flourish. “This party calls for fun, not fear, so how can I offer anything less.”

With her drink still in hand Nina wrapped her arms tightly around Brock and he quickly sank into her embrace.

“I’m proud of you,” Nina softly reassured him as she heard Brock’s light sniffle. “No matter what happens I’m here and I’m proud of you. And lets face it, whatever you manage to bring to life, you’re gonna need my help to take care of him,” she joked with a smile and a gentle nudge to his arm.

“What about D?” Brock questioned, now returning Nina’s grin.

“We’ll have to see about that. I don’t know if they’re exactly ‘mother material’.”

“You’re damn right I’m not,” Detox exclaimed as they approached the pair, nearly empty champagne glass in hand. “I am most definitely not looking for someone to take care of. I need someone who can take care of _me_ and satisfy _all_ my needs. Right, Nina?” Detox smirked as Nina’s cheeks reddened. Brock couldn’t help but giggle, his longtime friend so easily flustered and Detox always so ready to tease her.

“I’m gonna go see what Monét’s up to,” Nina replied as she turned to leave. “And Toxy, you wouldn’t know but some of us like to give _and_ to receive.”

A smile took over Brock’s entire face as his soft giggle morphed into tearful laughter as Detox scoffed, jokingly outraged.

“So _Master_,” Detox began as they turned their attention back to Brock. “Let’s see if you could actually build something better than me to fuck.”

The remark caught Brock off guard, though with Detox he shouldn’t have been surprised by their bluntness. He couldn’t explain exactly why he decided to assemble a creature. It was done in part to show off what he could do and to earn the admiration of the masses. But there was another part of him, a deeply buried part, that desperately wanted someone who would belong to him and be faithfully his, mentally as well as physically. While sex with his creation was not Brock’s ultimate aspiration, he’d be lying if he said the temptation hadn’t entered his mind more than he would like to admit.

Despite Brock’s consternation, Detox continued sharply, “Though you seem to tire of things pretty quickly.”

“While you certainly are rather fuckable D,” Brock began flippantly, “You know I don’t like to share. When we play, we play together or not at all. I got tired of the drama around you but I could _never_ tire of you darling,” he finished earnestly with warmth in his eyes. “And even if I did you still wouldn’t leave.” With that Brock draped his arm affectionately over Detox’s shoulders while D playfully shrugged it off. “If I ever want to bring my creation to an orgy you’ll be the first person I call.”

“You better,” Detox warned as the two started to make their way toward the power switches. “You’ll have a perfect man who owes you his life and is ready at your disposal. Enjoy it. And don’t fuck it up.”

Nina joins them, helping Brock into his lab coat and gloves. He gives all the wires and tubes a quick but thorough once over. He needs to make sure this works. Once he’s finally ready, he turns to face his guests and begins.

“My unconventional conventionalists, this evening you will bear witness to a breakthrough in biochemical research,” Brock pauses, a smug grin on his face as the crowd applauds. “Through analysis and experimentation, I was able to start putting the pieces together. But it took just one mistake, well I guess I can no longer call it a _mistake_,” he continued as his captivated audience chuckled. “to really see it. That elusive ingredient that is the beginning, the spark that is necessary to birth life itself. Tonight you will see, you’ll all see, for tonight is the night that my divine creation is to be born and paradise is to be mine.”

With that Brock turns and yanks the curtain off the tank, revealing the faint outline of a body trapped in dark colored ooze. The crowd gasps.

“Nina, throw the switches on the sonic oscillator and turn the energy transformer up to maximum power,” he calls as he moves to stand behind the tank.

Nina follows Brock’s commands and pulls and turns each lever with all her might. The overhead lights illuminating the lab start to flicker as a chandelier begins to lower from the ceiling. Stopping just in front of Brock, he begins to open the taps on the chandelier, allowing multicolored liquids to pour into the tank, mixing with the ooze.

“Detox, the final switch please!”

As Detox yanks down the final lever, the lights flickering once again, sparks shoot from the controller and make their way to the tank. There’s a bright flash and then silence.

Nina and Detox hurry over to join Brock as he observes the inside of the tank. Suddenly, the creature’s bandaged hand grasps the side of the tank as he attempts to pull himself up, releasing a noise that sounds like a deep, raspy growl. The creature makes it to his feet and the guests ooh and ahh. Brock looks on mesmerized, though part of him notes that his creation is much shorter than he had intended.

The creature’s movements are stiff and he stumbles a bit. Brock immediately leaps into the now empty tank yelling for a scissor, ignoring the crowd’s loud applause. He can’t say who hands him the scissor but once it’s in his grip he immediately starts cutting. 

Kneeling at his creation’s feet, Brock clutched his calf and began snipping at his gauze wrapped feet. As he pulled the bandages off to reveal more of the creature’s legs, Brock noticed a light smattering of dark brown hair over flawless, perfectly tanned skin. As the wrapping fell away Brock gently ran his fingers over his creation’s strong shins before lightly gripping at his firm calves. Brock made his way to his creature’s temptingly muscular thighs before cutting delicately around his more private areas. Brock tried to be demure but it was proving difficult. His creation’s backside was soft, smooth perfection and his front, well his front left Brock speechless. He continued ripping the bandages off and exposed his creature’s delicious happy trail. Brock could see prominent V lines and faintly defined abs along with fit arms and broad shoulders.

While Brock had been rapidly removing the bandages from his body, he couldn’t help but slow down somewhat to admire all that he had made. When he finally got to his creation’s face, however, he couldn’t wait any longer and quickly tore the dressing off. There looking up at him was the most beautiful man Brock had ever seen. His full lips slightly open in surprise surrounded by a dusting of dark scruff. His unmarked skin seemed to glow and his eyes where a dark chocolate brown and oh so deep. He was purity and perfection and Brock was immediately captivated. His hand acted of its own accord as he moved to sweep his creation’s slightly shaggy brown hair off his face.

“There you are Vanjie,” Brock murmured as he gazed affectionately at the man that was now his. For a moment, Brock believed he saw Vanjie look upon him with the same adoration, his eyes bright and hopeful.

In an instant, however, those warm eyes grew wide with fear as Vanjie’s head whipped around to take in his new surroundings and the large group of people still staring at him. His bottom lip began to quiver then his entire body began to shake as he fell to his knees letting out a high-pitched whine.

Brock immediately gathered Vanjie up in his arms, feeling his shoulder dampen with tears.

“Shh, my sweet baby, it’s okay,” Brock whispered tenderly as the stroked the back of Vanjie’s neck. “The celebration’s over,” Brock yelled sharply over his shoulder to the useless crowd. “Nina, Detox, get everyone out now!”

Detox and Nina quickly reappeared and began to shuffle the crowd from the lab and out of the mansion. Footsteps and complaints could be heard as the guests left the door and continued down the stairs but Brock heard none of it.

“My beautiful boy, you’re safe, you’re safe. Don’t worry, it’s okay, I’m here.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank everyone who read and commented on the first chapter. I sincerely appreciate all the kind words and encouragement💜 This chapter is where things really start to happen and we get to see more of Vanjie and a lot more of Brock trying to deal with his feelings. I do apologize though because this chapter somehow shifted the story from being loosely based on Rocky Horror to having almost a My Fair Lady feel (I still don’t know how that happened). I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter and once again please feel free to leave a comment. Oh and by the way, BabyNames.com gave me the meaning behind Vangie so I can’t really verify if it’s actually right.

Hours have passed since the party guests were forced out of the mansion and still Brock remains in the tank that gave birth to his creation. He sits cramped against the glass while Vanjie, now swaddled in the fleece blanket Nina provided, sleeps quietly with his head in his lap, his warm breathes tickling Brock’s thighs and making him smile.

Brock looks up from gazing at Vanjie when he hears the door to the lab open slightly as Nina pokes her head inside.

Nina looks at them with a soft grin. “Just thought I’d start cleaning things up in here. And maybe see how the two of you were doing,” she asks in a hushed voice.

“He’s still in there?”

Before Brock can reply, Detox pushes the door completely open and marches their way past Nina.

“You certainly know how to ruin a good time Brock,” Detox starts. “Do you know how long it took me to put that look together? You know this place used to be so much more fun and now…Wait, what the hell is all this,” Detox asks loudly, gesturing towards the scene of the man cuddled in Brock’s lap.

“D, could you be quiet?” Brock replies in a harsh whisper. “Vanjie finally relaxed and he…”

“Vanjie?” Detox snarks back. “What the fuck is Vanjie?”

At that Brock pauses, wondering how to explain himself. He remembers reading a while back that in Greek, Vangie means messenger of good news. When he had looked down at his sweet, innocent creation, Brock could see nothing but beauty and goodness and the name had just fallen from his lips.

“Says the person with the name Detox,” Nina retorts, sparing Brock his explanation.

“My name, my choice. And I’ll have you know it fits me perfectly,” Detox answers haughtily.

“Because getting rid of you resembles eliminating something toxic from your life?” Nina inquires, feigning innocence.

“Because being with you leads to questioning your life choices…and being sick for days after?” Brock questions teasingly.

“No,” Detox rebukes. “Because a fuck from me is like a detox from the world. There ain’t ever been anyone like me and there never will be. And my beauty may leave my lovers _gagging_ for days, but that’s why they always come back for more. I’m still waiting on you to get over your withdrawal _Master_,” they finish with sarcastic sweetness.

“Wouldn’t the be the opposite of a detox?” Nina says, eliciting a chuckle from Brock.

Detox lets out an exasperated sigh, ready to put Nina in her place when a gentle but loud yawn can be heard from the tank. Brock immediately pulls his eyes from D to look down at a now awake, and thankfully much more calm, Vanjie. Detox, realizing the conversation ended with a stir from the adult baby, huffs and rolls their eyes before leaving. At that Nina tries to stifle her giggles as she wordlessly observes Vanjie and Brock.

“Hi baby,” Brock coos.

Vanjie sleepily looks up at him before stretching his arms and pushing himself up. Once face to face with Brock, he gives him a small, bashful smile, his cheeks coloring slightly.

“There’s my beautiful boy,” Brock playfully replied, returning Vanjie’s smile with one of his own as he places a hand to Vanjie’s cheek.

Brock pulls Vanjie closer and begins speaking to him in a little more than a whisper. Nina can subtlety make out words like _wonderful_ and _proud_ as she continues to give the two a knowing look. Brock takes Vanjie’s hand to help him out of the tank and doesn’t let go as they leave the lab, ignoring Nina as if they didn’t even notice she was there. Once they’re gone, Nina shakes her head and laughs to herself as she actually starts cleaning up the party.

That first night all those months ago, Brock, while still grasping Vanjie’s hand, led him to his private bedroom and into his bed without a second thought. The next morning, however, as a still sleeping and still very naked Vanjie curled up even closer to him in his arms, Brock began second guessing everything. While Vanjie lay there cozy and oblivious, Brock felt a flood of anxiety, uncertainty, and worst of all arousal. Vanjie’s delicate, warm skin touching his felt like being enveloped in the softest blanket he could imagine. The gentle thumping of Vanjie’s pulse against Brock’s chest like the lowest keys on a piano playing the most beautiful symphony he had ever heard, and the only one he ever wanted to hear again. He had to get out of there.

Brock carefully slipped out of bed and hastily made his way to the bathroom, locking the door. With Vanjie’s heat and scent and suppleness and sweetness still enveloping his senses, Brock reached down and began to firmly touch himself, his eyes closed and his mind still laying on a pillow in bed with Vanjie. Once he’d come and cleaned himself off, Brock planted his hands firmly on the marble counter and drew a deep breath as he looked upon his currently makeup free face. It was at that moment that Brock realized that he had made no plans regarding what to do with his creation once he was alive. Detox’s less than wholesome suggestion flitted into his mind but he quickly dismissed it, though not completely sure why. On any other day, with any other being, he wouldn’t think twice. Brock enjoyed sex and was good at it from what he was told. If it was consensual on all accounts what reason would there be to say no to immediate pleasure?

There was something about Vanjie, however, that told him to wait. That told him that Vanjie deserved more than blind lust and confusing feelings. Brock decided then and there that he was going to make Vanjie into the best possible version of himself, sexual tension be dammed. When Vanjie awoke he was going to see what he knew and what he could do and teach him everything else. Vanjie deserved to have the best life possible and Brock was determined to give it to him.

Since that moment, Brock has put everything he can into ensuring Vanjie’s wellbeing. To his happiness and surprise, Brock found that Vanjie’s brain was already fully formed so he already knew life’s basics, he merely had to be reminded. Learning the new things Brock was trying to teach, however, was proving to be more difficult. Vanjie is silly, sassy, and very easily distracted so getting him to focus, especially on topics of no interest to him since he “ain’t no rich old white ho,” is definitely no easy task, but one that Brock finds delightful and gratifying all the same.

He has never been more amused than seeing Vanjie get tongue tied trying to learn French, a language that Brock spoke fluently. The lesson ended with Vanjie declaring that “we ain’t in no Tale of Two Cities bitch, no revolution means no French” and marched out of the room. Brock was just so proud that Vanjie had retained some concept of the book and couldn’t even fight him on it, since to Brock, Vanjie’s argument did make some sense in a ridiculous way. He later found Vanjie in his room engrossed in a telenovela and shouting reactions at the screen in near flawless Spanish, some over dramatic flair all that was needed for him to pick up a second language.

Brock gets particularly giddy when Vanjie approves of a concerto he encouraged him to listen to or watching his eyes light up as he reads the pages of a literary classic that is also one of Brock’s favorites. It didn’t take long to recognize Vanjie’s love of romance, if the tear filled weekly screenings of movies like The Notebook and Pretty Woman Brock found himself sitting through were anything to go by. Brock presented him with his own well worn copy of Pride and Prejudice and inwardly praised himself when Vanjie finished the book in less than a week, swooning over Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth finally getting together.

Though Brock, much to his unawareness, seemed to always be the most enraptured when Vanjie was simply being Vanjie, something that undeniably couldn’t be taught.

Brock sits down at his desk, now their desk, in the updated library and waits for Vanjie to arrive for his morning lesson. He expects him to be late, since by now it’s such a common occurrence and one that Brock never scolds him for, even though he knows he should and knows that if it were anyone else he would. Brock mentally chastises himself for once again for not waking him up and instead continuing his daily ritual of fleeing their bed before giving in to temptation.

No matter how much Vanjie learned and no matter how much Brock resisted, Vanjie continued to spend his nights in Brock’s bed and draw comfort from his embrace. Mornings found Brock with unopened eyes, keeping a softly snoring Vanjie wrapped in his arms for a little too long, as early sunlight filtered its way through the curtains of their room.

Once awake enough to come to his senses, however, Brock delicately released his hold on Vanjie before throwing on his black silk robe and quickly leaving. Nina’s outside the door, as usual, waiting to hand him the key to his private suite.

“I appreciate you doing this for me,” Brock muttered shamefully.

“While I don’t approve of it, I understand it. But just be careful, okay?” Nina said as Brock gave her a subtle nod. “Sometimes what you want is right in front of you Brock. And you have to realize you’re allowed to have it.”

“Thanks again Nina,” Brock replied as Nina kept watch over Vanjie and Brock tried his hardest not to look back.

Brock adores Nina. She’s like a sister but better because they’re bound by free choice and love, not blood and obligations. She is virtuous in the truest sense of the word and wants nothing but the best for him, but never pushes for him to find it before he’s ready. Wherever Brock and his anxiety went Nina and her optimism followed. Brock is thrilled that Nina has someone like Monét, someone who adores and accepts her, regardless of her being from another planet. Before unlocking the door, Brock thinks about Monét and Nina’s relationship and how nice and effortless it is. He thinks about how nothing for him has ever been nice and effortless, except maybe one thing.

He thinks about Detox and how they have no problem getting what they want, what they deserve. D was as close to a Transylvanian as he would find on this planet but still somehow much more exceptional. He admires their confidence, has from the day they met, and their fierceness and sarcasm give them an edge Brock could only dream of. Detox would have no problem fucking whoever was behind the door. Detox would have no problem fucking Vanjie.

At that Brock straightened his shoulders, elongating his body as if he wearing his heels, and hardened his gaze, picturing a face full of makeup and certainty. He entered the darkened room and saw an unknown person already waiting for him on the bed. Their gender, their name, irrelevant to him, as it always is. He doesn’t fuck them for their enjoyment or even his own, since only one body beneath him would give him pleasure these days. He moved to the bed, turning them over to face away from him. He fucks them wordlessly and roughly, not at all soft like he knows he’s capable of, like he knows he wants to be. While the physical manifestation of Brock’s desire has worn off for now, the unwavering need to be in Vanjie’s presence only seems to intensify.

Brock is always desperate to get back to Vanjie, to spend time with him any way he can. Today though, he’s even later than usual so Brock decides to go find him.

It doesn’t take long for Brock to find him, the sound of Rihanna voice echoing down the hall as Brock follows it to his room. Vanjie’s admiring his reflection in the full length mirror as he poses and lip syncs his heart out. Brock stands in the doorway, admiring him too, a fondness holding his heart as a smile decorated his face. Vanjie’s dressed in his typical revealing attire, his body adorned in the tiniest pair of gold briefs and a ripped tank top that barely covered his nipples. His choice of outfits being one of Detox’s favorite things about him whereas to Brock it was just another push to wear down his control, even if he knew his own clothing choices were less than modest.

Vanjie attempts to do a seductive turn but twirls too fast and stumbled over his own feet. Brock’s unrestrained laugh gives him away as Vanjie’s turns toward the doorway greeting him with a grin.

“You been holding out on me Mami,” Vanjie jokingly accuses as he goes to turn off the music. “Got me up in here listening to all that classical shit, making me miss out on the real masterpieces.”

Brock chuckles as he makes his way into the room. “They were merely suggestions angel,” Brock warmly informs. “And besides, we both know I can’t make you do anything.”

If Brock notices Vanjie’s sharp intake of breath and light blush he doesn’t mention it. He’s cautious, as he usually is around Vanjie, but the energy between them is different today, and it’s making him bold. As he reaches for the laptop on the bed, Brock brushes up lightly against Vanjie, his thin stockings the only material keeping their skin from touching.

“You want to hear some more popular music sweetheart?” Brock questions, pet names falling from his lips even more frequently than usual.

“Only if you think I’ll like it,” Vanjie presses now getting a little more confident himself.

Brock hits play and a playlist of current pop songs fills the room. On a particularly catchy chorus that they both recognize the ice is finally broken as they both start mouth the lyrics and moving their bodies. The two are nearly breathless when Bad Guy, one of Brock’s favorites, blares from the speakers. Brock starts moving with much more purpose and much more allure. Vanjie attempts to bob his head to the pulsing beat but his effort is useless. All he can do is watch Brock stomp around him in his heels, his movements nearly hypnotic.

Brock sets his eyes on Vanjie as the tempo drops and the bass pounds. As if unable to help himself, Brock saunters towards him and pulls Vanjie close against his back, Vanjie leaning into him willingly. Brock grinds back against Vanjie as his hands tentatively though fervently grasp Brock’s hips and begin to slide down his thick thighs. He then turns Vanjie to face him and caresses down his cheek, tracing his finger over his bottom lip with reverence and awe.

Their eyes meet and Brock can see all of Vanjie’s emotions from intrigue to lust to yearning, the same yearning Brock’s been feeling since that first morning he woke up with Vanjie in his bed. Brock watches Vanjie run his tongue along his lip, over the flesh the Brock’s fingers had grazed when suddenly and passionately diving in to Vanjie’s lips and pressing his body firmly against him.

Brock’s body’s on fire, Vanjie’s lips both the match and the hose, alarmingly igniting all of his senses while simultaneously extinguishing any lingering tension and resistance. It’s when he hears Vanjie tenderly moan into the kiss that reality hits him and he realizes what he’s doing. He immediately pulls himself away, leaving no part of his body close enough to touch Vanjie, fearful that he might give in again.

“I’m sorry, that was out of line. I didn’t...I shouldn’t...I’m sorry,” Brock stutters out, shaking his head and looking down at the floor.

“Was it really that bad?” Vanjie asks softly.

“What?” Brock questions, his head snapping up to meet with a delicate, wounded looking Vanjie.

“Was kissing me so bad that you had to stop?” Vanjie repeats.

“What’re you, what? No, of course it wasn’t bad.”

Kissing Vanjie was like nothing Brock had ever experienced before, their lips meeting together like lightening over the thundering of Brock’s pounding heart.

Vanjie continues, now blushing, “Cause I know I ain’t ever done it before but I’ve watched plenty’a hoes on TV do it and I’ve been wanting to try it, especially with you, and you was real good so it must’a been me and...”

Brock’s heart melts at Vanjie’s flustered rambling and he immediately takes Vanjie’s chin in both hands and looks him straight in the eyes.

“Kissing you wasn’t bad. It was anything but bad. Kissing you was wonderful,” Brock kindly reassured him, grinning as Vanjie’s eyes light up at the flattery.

“Then why’d you stop?”

Now it’s Brock’s turn to be flustered as he tries to reason, “Because we shouldn’t. Since, uh, for some people kissing leads to, um, other things. And, um, in the heat of the moment when people get caught up, things can happen and if one person can’t resist but the other person…isn’t interested, then well, it’s better to just maintain some dis-“

In an instant Vanjie grabs his wrist and pulls Brock’s towards him with surprising strength, making their lips meet once again. He slowly moves away to kiss his way up Brock’s jaw to his ear.

“What if I wanna get caught up in the moment?” Vanjie says in a raspy whisper.

Brock lets out a low whine that he’s never heard himself make before, he’s never been this desperate for someone before, but still he tries to pull back.

“I know what you been doing, in that little locked room of yours,” Vanjie states. “I see you run outta bed every morning and I see what you looking like when you come back. So come on then, why not me?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Brock begins. “You can’t possibly know what you want or what you’re getting yourself into.”

“I can use the internet, ya know. You really think I ain’t seen porn?” Vanjie replies as Brock stifles a laugh. “I think I get how it goes but maybe you could teach me a little more,” Vanjie looks to Brock and bats his eyes lashes. “And as far as knowing what I want, I think with both know that already and I think you feeling the same way but just ain’t acting on it.”

At that, Vanjie gives him the most sultry glance he’s ever seen him give and runs his hand up and down Brock’s arm.

“So come on Mami, what you waiting on? Fuck me.”

Brock gasps as Vanjie steps closer to Brock with nothing but certainty. At this point there’s no more reasoning, Brock surrenders to his longing and gives in to temptation.

Brock reaches behind Vanjie and lifts him up, drawing him in for another heated kiss as Vanjie instinctively wraps his legs around Brock’s waist. He carries Vanjie over to the bed and lays him down on top of the sheets before moving to take off Vanjie’s shirt. Vanjie watches with wonder as Brock starts untying his corset before drawing him down and enveloping him in this arms, Vanjie’s smile finally mirroring Brock’s.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 is finally here! I’m so sorry it took me so long but I got distracted by life and a one-shot that wouldn’t leave my head. This is the longest chapter yet and it’s also my favorite (and like in the last chapter, time passes and a lot happens). Thank you once again to everyone who reads my fics and leaves comments-you really have no idea how much they mean to me and how much I appreciate them💜

Brock awoke sometime in the late afternoon; naked, satiated, and with Vanjie still very much enveloped in his embrace. Brock had imagined this scenario more times than he was proud of, starting the morning following his Vanjie’s creation. After the multiple meaningless fucks had unsuccessfully dulled his desire, his mind would withdraw seeking much needed tenderness which was always found in the form of soft, wonderful, precious Vanjie. For the first time, however, Brock finds himself feeling surprisingly little guilt or anxiety about what he has done. He has no urge to flee the bed in search of someone to take out his frustrations on. He has no uneasiness telling him that Vanjie wasn’t ready or that they both didn’t fully enjoy themselves. For once, Brock finds himself largely content, his doubts and insecurities melting away in the warmth and the light that Vanjie surrounds him in.

As if feeling Brock’s body call out to him, Vanjie gentle positions himself even closer to Brock, his breath tickling the nape of his neck, his lips lightly teasing his pale shoulder, their chests so close that their heart beats were now one. Vanjie lets out a contented sigh and tilts his head slightly to look up at Brock.

“I been waiting for the day when I gots to wake up next to you without you running to get with someone else,” Vanjie says softly with a hopeful but hesitant look in his eyes.

Looking to reassure him, to show that he’ll never want anyone else, that he never really did, Brock looks at Vanjie, tenderly caressing his cheek and for the first time brings him further into him instead of hurrying to pull away.

“Me too baby,” Brock confirms as he moves to kiss Vanjie and feels his lips turn up into a smile mirroring his own. “Me too.”

With Vanjie’s lesson long forgotten, the two spend the rest of the day in bed lost in each other, teaching and learning about each others’ bodies and souls. Without acknowledging it, it’s as if both of them are desperately looking to make up for lost time. Each touch, kiss, and cuddle confirming without words that this is what was supposed to be from the start, their gazes filled with longing and understanding and a silent pleading that what they have will continue. They reluctantly surrender to sleep, not wanting to miss a moment of simply being with each other, of getting to look and feel and know that the other is there and is in this with them. They finally drift off only once their eyelids feel as heavy as their hearts used to, now peaceful and secure in the knowledge that tomorrow they will still find home in each other’s arms.

Brock wakes the next morning to find Vanjie even closer, his head now on his chest and their legs intertwined. While they would often be drawn to each other in their sleep, it sometimes felt as though they were cuddling through Saran Wrap, never able to fully connect and revel in the the allure of the other. This morning, however, when the sun’s rays beam through the open, unremembered curtains, Brock sees Vanjie and all that he is illuminated by brightness and light, and Brock is now starting to feel some of that light on his own skin.

He rolls off his back to face Vanjie, his movements less delicate as Brock is no longer afraid to wake him up. Brock cups his cheeks and tenderly kisses the top of his head, his stomach curling pleasantly as his nose touches the fuzziness of Vanjie’s dark hair and smells the the incomparable scent of faint shampoo, sweat, and something purely Vanjie. Vanjie slowly opens his eyes and gives Brock an adorably dopey grin that Brock can’t help but return.

“There’s my beautiful boy,” Brock coos as if he’s back in the tank that night with his newly born creation. Realizing the sappiness of his tone and remembering the countless times he has called Vanjie by a pet name, Brock’s cheeks immediately color and he turns away in embarrassment.

“What’s wrong boo?” Vanjie questions, now more awake as he moves to sit up against the headboard.

“Nothing,” Brock replies shyly as he pulls the blanket up in an attempt to shield himself.

“That your final answer Mami?” Vanjie pushes, half smiling, half serious.

“It’s just…I just realized all the silly names I call you all the time. You must be sick of hearing them by now,” Brock admits, trying to play off his feelings and his endless terms of endearment for Vanje as frivolous.

“Nuh-uh,” Vanjie immediately defends. “Ain’t nothing silly about any of that. It’s just what you do. You been caring on me since day one and there ain’t nothing wrong with that. Besides, it’s sweet,” now it was Vanjie’s turn to blush as a sly smirk appears on his face. “And you know I love when you baby me Mami.”

At that Brock is flattered, relieved, and aroused all at once. He quickly pulls the covers off of himself and sits up at eye level with Vanjie. He angles his head enough so that he’s simultaneously nuzzling Vanjie’s cheek with his curls and sucking at his neck with eager lips and an experienced tongue. Vanjie’s eyes briefly squeeze shut and he lets out a wanton moan before repositioning himself in Brock’s lap, his knees on either side of Brock’s outstretched legs.

“You just swallowed some caterpillars is all,” Vanjie says matter-of-factly as he goes to place kisses along Brock’s neck and jaw.

“What?” Brock questions with a disbelieving chuckle, drawing Vanjie off him momentarily to find out what he’s talking about.

“You know, cause you was getting pressed like a panini right just then,” Vanjie begins without any hesitation. “But I know you just ate some caterpillars and got them butterflies all up in your stomach. They wings be tickling you and shit and making you feel some typpa way around me.”

At that Brock grabs Vanjie’s shoulders, bringing him down and attempting to kiss him through his laughter and toothy grin.

“I’m so happy you turned out like this,” Brock says, still giggling but genuinely meaning every word. At his comment, he can see Vanjie’s eyes start to fill with appreciation and tears. As if on cue they both lean closer, their fingers linking and mouths meeting in a warm, deep kiss that overtakes their senses and spurs them on for more.

Unbeknownst to them, Nina has been waiting outside the bedroom door for Brock, key in hand. After a few minutes and hearing no footsteps, Nina presses her ear against the door to make sure things between Brock and Vanjie are alright. The room at this time of morning is usually fairly quiet and carries the sullen energy of Brock’s shame and unfulfilled desires. This time, however, with her ear to the door Nina can hear the sounds of smitten giggles and wet kisses. She pulls away letting out a delighted, though quiet, squeal and glances at the key in her hand before quickly stuffing it back in her pocket. Nina starts to walk down stairs to the kitchen but not before turning back to glance at the closed door one more time with a grin on her face knowing what’s behind it.

While the months move on, their feelings have not. Each morning is like that first, the two of them pulled together like the sun and the earth, as if relying on each other’s warmth and breath and touch to survive. The days, much to Brock’s enjoyment, are filled with even more smiles and laughter from Vanjie, who now seems even brighter and more open than before. Brock knows the same could be said about himself.

Vanjie is in Brock’s room, their room, watching Brock put on his clothes and makeup for company. Vanjie notes the similarities of the outfit and paint to the look he first met Brock in, a look that his mind holds onto as tightly as a child clutches their favorite teddy bear. While Brock is heavily focused on applying his eyeliner in the vanity mirror, Vanjie moves to swipe the shiniest product he can find along with Brock’s compact. Sitting on the floor and leaning against the side of the vanity table, Vanjie balances the small mirror on top of his knees and begins to swipe the overly glittered applicator across his eyelids.

“You realize that’s lipgloss,” Brock informs him with a smirk, as he puts down his eye pencil and rests back in his chair.

“Bitch I know,” Vanjie replies with sass, as he stops what he’s doing and looks down at the tube to actually read it. He stands up and places it back on the tabletop. “I just don’t follow no makeup rules. Sparkle’s safe to go everywhere.”

At that Brock chuckles and Vanjie bends down to kiss the top of his head, careful to avoid his newly done up face.

“Can I ask you something, something that might be getting a little all up in your business?” Vanjie asks somewhat hesitantly.

“And here I thought you already got all up in my business,” Brock teases cheekily as Vanjie swats at his arm. “But sure, of course baby. I’m all ears,” Brock answers as he looks at his and Vanjie’s reflections in the large mirror.

“Why do you do it?”

“Do what?” Brock questions.

“Alla this,” Vanjie states as his arm gestures up and down Brock’s body. “All the paint and powder and tight as fuck corsets and shit. Why you bother boo?”

“Honestly,” Brock begins as he turns to look at Vanjie. “I’m not entirely sure myself. I just know it’s what makes me feel the most…agreeable. Believe it or not this is how I embrace my masculinity, how I can feel powerful when otherwise I’d feel…,” Brock searches for the right word but comes up short,, knowing that he’s never been the best at being vulnerable.

“Cause mixing a bunch a chemicals and shit together like some hocus pocus witchy bitchy to make me ain’t enough power for you?” Vanjie asks teasingly, clearly trying to lighten the mood but catching Brock slightly off guard.

“I didn’t mean…that’s not why I…”

“I’m just playing Mami, slow your horses,” Vanjie assures as he puts his hand on Brock’s shoulder. “I know what we got ain’t no power trip. We both here together outta choice, ain’t nothing more powerful than that,” Vanjie grins as he gives Brock’s glossy lips a quick peck.

Brock’s heart freezes at what Vanjie just said. He makes some fumbled excuse to get out of there, giving Vanjie a halfhearted kiss before quickly leaving to go find Nina.

“I took away his choice,” Brock frets as he sits on Nina’s bed, his head in his hands. “He didn’t ask to be created.”

“None of us do Brocky,” Nina kindly reminds him as she moves from locking her door to join him on the bed. “We’re all born, created, whatever you want to call it, out of some cosmic chance. The choices we have lie in the way we want to live our lives and the kind of people we want to be.”

“I took that away from him too,” Brock sniffles while Nina covers his hand with hers. “This whole time I’ve been trying to mold him into what _I_ thought was best and I didn’t even think about what he wanted.”

“Brock don’t-“

“No,” Brock sternly cuts Nina off. “I _chose_ to leave our home planet. I _chose_ to come to earth. It was all my choice. I used my _free will_ to decide what was best for me and I couldn’t even offer the same luxury to the only person I’ve ever truly lo-,” Brock stops himself and takes a deep breath while Nina reaches for a tissue, choosing not to push Brock on what he almost revealed.

“Vanjie knows how you feel and knows that you’re trying your best for him,” Nina promises earnestly as she wraps her arm around his shoulders. “I’m sure if you spoke to him about what’s bothering you you’d see that you have nothing to worry about at all. Vanjie knows more than you give him credit for, you just have to trust him.”

After leaving Nina’s room, Brock quietly hurries down the stairs and out of the mansion, thankful he didn’t run in to Vanjie along the way. As he walks along the path through the woods surrounding the estate, he realizes that Vanjie has never been out here. Vanjie has never been anywhere that wasn’t in his bed or confined within the mansion’s walls. The thought makes him feel sick. Nina’s caring words are now drowned out by a tumultuous sea of doubts and worries and insecurities, all of which Brock feels naïve to think he had overcome. Vanjie can’t possible love him and if he does it’s just because he doesn’t know any better, Brock thinks. He has his sweet innocent Vanjie trapped in some Stockholm syndrome nightmare and forcing him to be with him. It all has to stop.

Since that day Vanjie notices that something’s up with Brock. When he fled the room Vanjie had been surprised but ultimately thought nothing of it. When they reunited later that night, however, Vanjie could feel a shift and Brock seemed more closed off than ever before. Brock still stays in their bed in the mornings, giving Vanjie some relief, but his embrace is now distant, like there’s a canyon between them filling up with all the feelings they no longer talk about. Most days, Vanjie hardly sees Brock and he wonders how it is that you can so desperately miss someone who’s only separated from you by a locked door.

After a while, Brock’s newfound reserve and surly demeanor starts to become apparent to more than just Vanjie.

“I thought once you started boning lover boy you’d finally get that stick out of your ass,” Detox exclaims one evening perched on a stool, their drink resting atop the kitchen island as Brock walked passed. “Or at least put something new in its place.”

Detox smirks, waiting for Brock’s retort, expecting to be scolded or playfully told off, some comment about how he’s a top thrown in just to prove to D how wrong they are. Instead, what they get is a cold stare and annoyed grumble as Brock angrily makes his way out of the kitchen, leaving Detox alone again nursing their third whiskey sour.

This is exactly what Detox had been worried about when Brock had announced he was making a creature. While part of Detox knew that their friendship with Brock could survive anything, considering it made it through their breakup, another darker part of them worried that once Brock had someone new to love, they would be cast aside. Much to Detox’s surprise, however, Brock’s love and happiness with his creation had seemed to give him a new glow that followed him into every part of his life. Brock and them were back to their lighthearted teasing, a new joy and delight surrounding their relationship that they supposed they had to be thankful to Vanjie for. The fact that D actually found Vanjie quite charming helped the situation too, though they were keeping that information to themselves.

Now though, seeing Vanjie discouragingly shuffle into the room, Brock and him disregarding each other and Brock disregarding them, brings back Detox’s darker emotions, their heart full of anger, sadness, pity, and jealousy.

“Yo D,” Vanjie began, trying to sound tough though his meekness was clear. “Do you have any clue what’s been up with Brock? We was getting all lovey-dovey and I thought things were getting real-real but then he just go and cut a ho off like it’s nothing. Did I do something?”

Detox feels their heart break just a little before sealing the cracks up with anger. “And how the fuck would I know?” Detox retorts.

“Well, cause you and Brock are friends.”

“Oh is that what we are?” Detox responds, their tone dripping with irritation and sarcasm. They let out a breath. “Look, practically the same thing happened when me and Brock were together,” Detox starts. They notice Vanjie’s eyes widen and his mouth openly slightly in surprise before collecting himself and continuing to listen, acting as if this information wasn’t new. “We would fuck and have fun but _Master_ would never let things get too honest. Brock thinks he hides his fear of intimacy well but we all know he can’t hide shit.” Detox takes a sip of their drink and bitterly smirks. “And it’s fine for _Master_ to do whatever with whoever the fuck he wants but the second I go and start doing the same thing we’re done. Just as well though,” they rationalize as they blink the unshed tears from their eyes. “Cause this was all just too much for Brock. He can never stay committed for too long, but I guess that’s why we’re _friends_, as you so sweetly called us.”

With that Detox grabs their nearly empty glass as they stand up to leave. “My advice? If you’re so fucking desperate to find out what’s wrong with Brock, why don’t you just try asking him yourself? Unless, of course, you’re too afraid of the answer.”

After his harsh but enlightening talk with Detox, Vanjie finds himself alone in his room, something that has regrettably become far too common lately. He’s laying on their bed, his pillow covering his face trying to block out the world and the swarm of questions and feelings now buzzing around his mind. Vanjie’s curious as to why Brock didn’t tell him about his relationship with Detox and if that means he’s keeping more secrets from him. He wonders if Brock’s been fucking other people just like he did before they started. Vanjie thinks about how strong Detox is yet how affected they seemed by what happened between them and Brock. He has always admired Detox, but even more now that he knows what really happened and how they still chose to stay. Vanjie knows he’s not that strong, he’s never had a reason to be. If something were to happen between him and Brock, if Brock chose to end what they have, he’d be much too hurt and humiliated to stay and he’d have no choice but to leave, despite having nowhere else to go.

It’s then when Vanjie’s heartache turns to outrage and resentment. He throws the pillow to the floor and bolts out of bed, angrily pacing the room. Vanjie begins wondering how his gentle, caring Brock could ever do something like this to him, could ever use him like this. Vanjie gets even more frustrated when he realizes he doesn’t even know why Brock made him, a detail that could be overlooked before but now is more important than ever. He thinks that Brock probably made him so he’d always have someone around to fuck, despite a softer, more rational part of him reasoning that that can’t be true. His pacing continues and his breaths become pants as his hands ball into fists and tears well up in his eyes. Brock created him for sex and then got tired of him, Vanjie convinces himself. Or worse, maybe Brock thought he wasn’t good enough at it and decided to find someone better.

If Brock didn’t want him anymore then he should grow up and tell him, Vanjie thinks, not just lead him on and make him look like a fool. With that he moves to grab his pillow from off the floor and storms out of the room, Vanjie refusing to sleep in a bed made with apathy and lies. He checks to make sure no one’s around and sneaks into Nina’s room, stealing the key and making his way to Brock’s private room.

Upon unlocking the door, the first thing Vanjie notices is darkness. After turning on a bedside lamp, the only source of light in the room, he can see that the bed is made and a layer of untouched dust covers the few pieces of furniture in the room. Vanjie looks through the cabinets and draws and finds toys that he has never seen before and certainly never used. This must be what he wants, Vanjie remorsefully thinks, which explains why Brock doesn’t want him. He turns off the lamp before smashing his pillow against the uncomfortable looking bed and climbing in, pulling the covers tightly over his head. The room is black and silent except for his heaving, muffled sobs, his tears finally too heavy for his eyes to contain. At some point Vanjie’s exhaustion overtakes him and he begins to drift off with bloodshot eyes and the thought that for the first time since he was created, he’s spending a night without Brock.

Later on into the night, Vanjie is woken up by frantic footsteps outside the door. He hears Brock and Nina’s voices and his name mentioned but not much else can be heard behind the closed door. Finally Vanjie can hear someone playing with the doorknob and sits up to look before Brock pushes the door open, bringing the brightness of the hallway lights with him. Brock lets out a momentary sigh of relief before taking in Vanjie’s tear stained face in the now dimly lit room and quickly making his way to the bed. Before he can stop himself Brock immediately joins Vanjie in the bed and draws him into his arms, stroking his hair as he snivels into his chest and wraps his arms just as tight around Brock.

A few minutes later Vanjie pulls away, wiping his nose with the back of his hand and peering at Brock as if analyzing him for an ulterior motive.

“Why don’t you want me no more?” Vanjie questions meekly.

“What?” Brock replies surprised.

“We was fine. More than fine. One minute you all up on me and all giggly and shit and the next minute bam! We over.”

Brock tries to steel himself. “There’s a lot more to this than what you think. I was waiting for the right time to tell you-“

“Tell me what?” Vanjie shouts, cutting Brock off. “I’m not stupid Brock. And you should know cause you the one who been teaching me. You ain’t been with me in weeks. For all I know you off fucking any random ho just like you was doing before cause I sure as hell know you ain’t fucking me. You doing me dirty just like you did Detox and you too much of a bitch to let me in on it. Why the hell you even make me for?”

Brock feels as though he’s been slapped. His breath catches as he looks at Vanjie in all his anger, his nostrils flaring and his eyes narrowed.

“Is that what you really think of me?” Brock asks dejectedly, hurrying to wipe away the wetness in his eyes. “You think I’d do that to you?”

Brock’s pitiful tone makes Vanjie feel ashamed but he knows he has to press on. “And it ain’t all about the sex neither. You been somewhere else and won’t let me in. Just let me in Brock,” Vanjie moves to tentatively place his hand on top of Brock’s. “Let me help you.”

At Vanjie’s unearned kindness Brock breaks down, letting go of Vanjie’s hand as years of unshed tears roll down his cheeks. “I made you with the intent to prove something, to myself and to the greater scientific community. But I know it wasn’t just that,” Brock starts tearily. “I was selfish and I made you because I was lonely okay? I wanted someone who would be mine forever. I tried to create something that was my idea of perfection and then you were born and I realized that I had no idea what perfection truly was until I saw you. And I swore to myself that I would do right by you but again tried to make you into what _I_ thought you should be.”

Brock’s eyes fill with shame and even more tears upon that admission which confuses a now misty-eyed Vanjie. He wants to ask him about it but remains silent, allowing Brock to continue out of fear that he’ll never be this open again.

“You’ve given me so much,” Brock continues, doing his best to keep his tears at bay. “I told you when I felt powerful but I never feel more powerful then when I’m with you. With you I can be someone I never thought possible and I feel better with you than I have on any planet I’ve been to. But I let my own happiness distract me. It was my responsibility as your creator to know better and to do what’s right for you and after a lot of thought I think I’ve finally figured out what that is.”

Brock tightly grasps Vanjie’s hand as if he’s afraid to let go. Vanjie looks at their linked fingers, still silently trying to take in everything that Brock has just revealed to him. His gaze moves from their hands to Brock’s eyes, and he can see so many emotions all at once but there’s one that comes through the strongest: love. Vanjie removes his hand from his grip only to link his arms around Brock’s neck and pull him into a passionate kiss. Brock instantly responds and all Vanjie can feel is warmth and happiness radiating through his body. He lets out a soft moan that seems to snap Brock out of a trance and remind him where he is and what he’s doing. He pulls away from Vanjie and stands up before Vanjie can reach for him again.

“I said I was going to to do right by you,” Brock repeats resolutely, refusing to look at Vanjie and his stunned expression. “So I think it’s best if you leave the mansion.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter is finally here (sorry for how long it took). This is the first multi-chapter fic I’ve ever written and I wanted to thank all of you for coming on this journey on me and for all your comments and encouragement. I hope you are enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it💜

Brock stands solemnly with Detox and Nina to his left as Vanjie gets ready to leave. He feels his heart banging on his chest but his conscience holds the key and is keeping it prisoner. He has to do the right thing for once in his life, he has to let Vanjie be free and complete, no matter how incomplete it leaves him.

Brock watches as Detox and Vanjie talk in hushed tones and Detox’s lips form a bittersweet smirk. They quickly pull Vanjie to their chest, hands gently stroking his back, as they turn their face away from Brock and Nina in an effort to mask their rarely cried tears. They pull back and clear their throat, trying to straighten themselves out as Vanjie gives them a sad smile before moving slowly to stand in front of Nina.

Nina lets her emotions take over as her eyes begin to flood. She takes Vanjie’s hands in hers and looks at him, her gaze exuding love, loss, and guilt as she shakes her head in disappointment and disbelief. She brings Vanjie into a warm, swallowing embrace and whispers in his ear as she rubs his neck. Brock thinks he hears the words _fix this_and _hold on_ but he can’t be sure, too busy wishing he was getting comforted by Nina or better yet, being the one to caress Vanjie. Nina releases Vanjie from her arms and moves to kiss his cheek as she pulls an envelope out of her back pocket and hands it to him before stepping away.

Vanjie’s breath catches as he stands before Brock, head hung down, gaze refusing to meet his. Brock makes no move to reach for Vanjie, knowing that he’s supposed to be letting him go. He can feel his hands tremble out of longing and uneasiness, so he balls them into fists in an attempt to keep steady. It feels like hours pass but it’s only seconds as the silence consumes them both and Vanjie finally lifts his head to look at Brock. Brock’s emotionless demeanor changes upon getting a good look at Vanjie. He wears a pained, broken expression that Brock has never seen him use, making him look almost unrecognizable. His eyes are full of emotion and tears, his cheeks so wet it looks as if someone rung out a rain cloud.

Brock nearly gives in then and there, nearly drags Vanjie into an overwhelming kiss to stop his lip from quivering and to stop his own heart from shattering. His heart is scratching at the door of his mind, begging him to give in but he agonizingly resists. He refuses to keep being selfish, he refuses to keep Vanjie locked away with him, forcing him into a life that he didn’t choose and will ultimately come to resent. He’s resolved to the fact that he’s doing this for Vanjie so he takes a deep breath to steel himself.

While still peering up at him, Vanjie takes a small cautious step closer to Brock but Brock immediately backs away.

“Are you sure?” Vanjie questions meekly through soft sniffles.

“Yes,” Brock replies bluntly as he watches Vanjie’s face fall even more.

At that Vanjie squares his shoulders and wipes his nose and takes on a glare that’s colder than Brock has ever witnessed.

Brock knows they have to end but doesn’t want it to end like this, he has to make him understand. His body finally moves to be closer to Vanjie, to touch him and hold him and feel his warmth one last time. His hand lifts to touch his cheek but Vanjie slaps it away and abruptly turns away from him. He refuses to look back, refuses to waste anymore tears, so he hauls his suitcase and himself out of the only home he has ever known, slamming the door loudly behind him.

Weeks had passed since Vanjie’s departure and it was as if the wound was still bleeding with no bandage in site. When Vanjie left, he took his warmth and light with him, the roaring fire built on his kindness and joy now extinguished. The mansion had become a quiet, dark cave where not even echos of past happiness could be heard. Brock’s internal assurances that he was doing the right thing for Vanjie no longer consoled him and he was left feeling as cold and empty as his bed currently felt.

Both Nina and Detox could feel the shift in Brock and everything surrounding him now that Vanjie was gone. Feeling fed up with and lost in all the gloom, Detox barges into what used to be Brock and Vanjie’s bedroom demanding answers.

“What the hell is your problem?” Detox asks harshly as they rip the covers off of Brock. “First you alienate Vanjie and force him to leave and now me and Nina are getting the same fucking treatment. If you wanted to make yourself miserable, you didn’t have to work so damn hard at it and drag the whole place down with you.”

“I’m sorry,” Brock answers softly. “I didn’t mean to make you upset too.”

Detox is taken aback by Brock’s submissiveness. For as long as they’ve known him, Brock had always made an effort to appear confident and strong, even if he didn’t feel that way. It was part of what Detox loved so much about the man. They knew that both of them battled similar demons but neither refused to surrender. To see their friend more defeated than ever gives Detox a heavy heart, a heart that’s been sinking further into their chest with the weight of Vanjie’s departure. They had come in ready for a fight but Brock’s weak voice and red eyes makes them change their course.

“Look,” Detox starts again, trying to reign in their normally stern tone. “While all this mopey bullshit certainly isn’t great for me, I can deal. What I really need to know is how long you’re going to let yourself wallow like this without doing anything about it? I mean you’ve got us, or um Nina, worried sick. And there’s just such a simple solution.”

“D, while I appreciate the concern I’m fine. I just need a little time to get over this and then I’ll be okay. And besides, this was bound to happen eventually,” Brock reasons as he moves to sit up against his headboard. “Without even meaning to, I always seem to let everyone down. It’s a good thing Vanjie got out when he did.”

“You really think you being this upset is just par for the course? And what the fuck are you talking about letting people down?” Detox questions loudly, their voice filled with outage and disbelief.

“Look at what happened with us,” Brock begins, once again taking Detox by surprise, as the topic of their past relationship hardly ever came up. “I thought I was helping you, I thought I was saving our friendship. I liked sleeping with you but I loved being your friend more and that’s what I wanted to preserve. But I just ended up hurting you in the process.”

“Hmm,” Detox’s face takes on a flattered smirk. “You know you never did tell me why you ended things. It’s nice to know it was because you liked me too much,” they reply smugly and are glad to hear Brock let out a small laugh. “But don’t you for one second think that you ever even came close to letting me down,” they say, staring directly at Brock and hoping that he takes in the absolute truth of their words. “I always knew you cared about me. And not that I needed to hear it, but it’s nice to know the reason behind our momentary messiness. Now if you would just get off your ass and talk to a certain _someone_,” Detox says as they turn to leave, “Maybe you’d see that they don’t hold a grudge either and then things can go back to being fun again.”

Brock forces a small smile onto his face that was there until Detox closed the door behind them.

“But he deserves so much better than me,” Brock speaks aloud into the empty room as he moves to get back under the covers. “And he’d never love me anyway.”

Nina had hoped that Detox’s talk with Brock would spur him into action or at least make him slightly less somber, but unfortunately neither were true. He was still roaming around the mansion as if he was lost in a fog, one so dense and dark that he could hardly been seen through it.

“D, can I come in?” Nina calls as she knocks on Detox’s door. “It’s about Brock,” she says in a lower voice.

“It’s about damn time,” Detox replies as they open their door for Nina. “I was waiting for you to figure shit out and come up with a plan.”

“Well, I thought talking to you would help,” Nina defends. “You have a knack for, um, calling people out when they need it. I didn’t want to go in all motherly and complimentary since I doubt he’d believe me right now anyway. I thought you being direct and honest with him would help him snap out of this funk and realize his mistake.”

“Well mama Nina you were wrong,” Detox says curtly, though their words lack the level of hubris Nina’s used to hearing from them. “So now what do we do?”

Nina tries to speak but Detox continues, their voice getting louder and more desperate.

“I mean, I can’t stand seeing him like this anymore, it’s like he’s not even Brock. Things have just been so fucking bad since,” Detox stops themselves but Nina looks at them expectantly. “We need to bring Vanjie back,” Detox states earnestly, though slightly embarrassed. “He’s one of us, he belongs here. And it’ll be better for Brock and for you and then you two can get back to your whole creepy alien siblingy love fest and then,”

“D,” Nina interrupts as she places her hand on top of theirs, earning her a questioning look. “You know you’re my family too, right? And if Brock’s not in a place to be able to work through things,”

“And get his shit together,” Detox interjects.

Nina smiles and lets out a huff of laughter. “Then we’ll make things right together, for all of us.”

Nina revealed to Detox that the envelope she handed Vanjie contained a list of hotels from her and a credit card from Brock, not wanting Vanjie to go without having at least some support. After tracing some charges and learning his room number, Nina and Detox were able to find Vanjie to make sure he was okay and to try and make sense of what happened.

“What’re y’all doing here?” Vanjie asks somewhat confused as Detox pushes passed him into the room and Nina greets him with a warm hug.

“Brock’s an idiot, that’s what,” Detox bluntly states as they stomp toward a chair.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Nina calmly refutes as she and Vanjie take a seat on the bed. “He just, he sometimes has a misguided view of how to handle his feelings and what the right thing to do is.”

“That’s the understatement of the century,” Detox scoffs.

“But I think we all learned from this and I really think,”

“No tea, no shade Nina but I ain’t learn shit,” Vanjie starts, his voice dripping with bitterness and hurt. “I found out the bitch that gave me life don’t care nothing ‘bout me and booted my ass outta his crib the second shit got real. So ‘scuse me if I ain’t so ready to stuff all this shit under the bed and keep it moving.”

“Told you this wouldn’t be so easy,” Detox muttered.

“Listen, in no way am I here to tell you that what Brock did was right. I’m just telling you that in his mind, he was doing what he _thought_ was right.”

“Ain’t nothing right ‘bout what he did to me,” Vanjie argues. “The right thing woulda been to have a damn word with me before telling me to hit the door. He wanna do good by me? How ‘bout supporting me and being there for me and helping me choose shit ‘stead of choosing for me?”

“He’s got a point,” Detox admits and Nina waves her hand at them dismissively.

“But he loves you,” Nina tells him earnestly, the passion in her voice making it seem like this simple explanation could fix it all.

“The fuck you talking ‘bout?” Vanjie questions skeptically. “Brock ain’t feeling me like that. I mean, I maybe, sorta thought he did _once_ but now I know I was just playing myself.”

“No, she’s right,” Detox insists. “I’ve never seen him as happy as he was when he was with you. And I’ve been friends with him long enough and been in enough orgies with him to know when he’s truly happy.”

“Thank you for your input D,” Nina replies sarcastically as Detox smirks back at her.

“That shit don’t matter anyhow,” Vanjie discouragingly counters. “I’m outta there, it’s over and finito and both of us just gotta get a move on”

“Would it help if we told you he’s miserable?” Detox asks.

Vanjie turns toward Nina as if looking for confirmation.

“He is you know,” Nina sincerely admits. “He pretty much buried himself in your bed since you left. He hasn’t gone to the lab or gotten dressed up, and he hasn’t been with anyone else,” Nina affirms as she looks Vanjie in the eyes. “He thought he was giving you a better life by letting it be one that you chose. And in some strange way I agree with him. Being created wasn’t a choice, loving Brock isn’t a choice.”

“Don’t I know it,” Detox says with a small grin.

“But being with him and being happy with him and forgiving him, that’s a choice and only you can make it,” Nina finishes as she rubs Vanjie’s arm before getting up to leave.

“I don’t think I can follow that,” Detox says as they move to follow Nina. “Just think about it.”

Once they’re back at the mansion, Nina goes to check on Brock. She knocks on the bedroom door but opens it before he has the chance to answer, finding him still in bed but sitting up with a book.

“How are you doing Brocky?” Nina asks gently.

“I’m fine,” Brock replies irksomely as he closes his book and glares at Nina. “I don’t know what you and Detox are so worried about.”

“We care about you,” Nina tells him as she walks further into the room. “And we just want to see you happy.”

“Well I’m fine, I’m happy, so you two don’t need to freak out anymore,” Brock defends, forcing his lips into a strained, artificial grin.

“Do you know why I decided to leave Transylvania and come with you to Earth?” Nina asks, ignoring Brock’s attempt at reassuring her.

“Honestly, no,” Brock says, now with a small but genuine smile on his face. “I always thought you were crazy to give up your whole life to follow me but I could never talk you out of it.”

“I left because I wanted an adventure and because we both knew that there was somewhere out there better for us to call home. But really, I came with you because I couldn’t lose my best friend and because I knew you needed to do this to be happy,” Nina reveals as she rests her hand on top of Brock’s and squeezes tightly. “And you deserve to be so happy Brock. You have such a kind, open heart that wants to be filled with nothing but joy and love and the only one standing in the way of that is you.”

Brock tries to pull his hand away from Nina’s grasp but she holds on tighter and watches as Brock’s eyes begin to water.

“You need to get out of your own way,” Nina continues as she moves to wipe away the few tears that escaped. “Let people love you and let yourself love them back. ‘Cause believe me, you’re amazing at it and it would be a crime to hide your heart from the world.”

With that, Nina places a light kiss to the top of Brock’s head. As she moves to leave she feels Brock put his arms around her and pull her down into a much needed embrace.

“Thank you Nina,” Brock says softly.

“Of course,” she replies as Brock releases his hold and she makes her way out of the room.

Early the next morning, Brock is woken up by the sound of harsh rain pelting the windows. Despite the storm outside, he still manages to hear the doorbell ringing loudly and frequently, the shrill noise carrying up the stairs and into the bedroom. There is no light to penetrate through the curtains and there’s a chill in the air, making Brock to burrow further into his blankets and further into the darkness. Without warning, his door bangs open and he sees Detox standing before him, trying to contain a delighted smirk.

“Nina sent me to get you. She wants you to come to the door.”

“Can’t she handle it?” Brock grumbles, pulling the covers ever tighter around himself.

“I think this is something you need to see for yourself,” Detox encourages smugly.

Brock throws the blankets off with a groan and reaches for his robe before heading downstairs, wearing a mood identical to the weather outside.

He descends the staircase still in a daze but freezes when his eyes meet his. There in the doorway with the rain behind him, soaked to the bone and slightly shivering, was his Vanjie. Like a lighthouse guiding him through rocky seas, Brock can’t help but be drawn to him and hurries down the rest of the steps to reunite with the piece of his heart he feared he’d never see again.

“Baby,” Brock coos, tears dripping down his cheeks as he gazes at his drenched but beautiful creation.

They both run the remaining way across the foyer floor and meet each other in a cathartic embrace that turns into a breathtaking kiss conveying all the longing and devotion they’ve both been harboring for way too long.

They finally break their kiss but continue to hold onto one another, trying to make up for all the hours spent without the warmth of the other.

“Are you sure?” Brock whispers, his tone a mix of hope and apprehension.

“Mmm-hmm,” Vanjie nods with a bright smile as he watches Brock’s face light up too. “Choosing you was the easiest decision I’ve ever made,” Vanjie confirms as they pull each other in for another love-filled kiss before closing the mansion door behind them.


End file.
